


In Search of a Bat Spirit

by cmshaw



Category: DCU - Comicverse, xxxHoLic
Genre: Gen, first lines meme
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-07-02
Updated: 2008-07-02
Packaged: 2017-10-05 11:27:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/41267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cmshaw/pseuds/cmshaw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You've changed since the last time we met," the little psychic girl said.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Search of a Bat Spirit

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dorrie6](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=dorrie6).



"You've changed since the last time we met," the little psychic girl said. At least, she _looked_ like that little psychic girl from that Japanese TV show that Tim had liked. Steph couldn't remember meeting any TV stars -- not as Stephanie Brown, anyway, and she was pretty sure not as Spoiler either, although ohmigod what if this girl really was psychic and knew about Spoiler? Or worse, _Robin_?

Nervously, she cleared her throat and said, "Ah, where was that?"

"Right here," the girl said. "Why are you here now? I thought you were changing."

Steph looked around. They were in the foothills outside of Tichla where Leslie was currently working, but they'd been there less than a month. "We met here?"

"Yes," the little girl said. "When you were dead." The two boys with her jerked at that, and the skinny one who was holding her hand tugged her back a step away from Steph.

"What do you mean, 'dead'?" Steph asked. She didn't take any steps back, but only because she was at a good striking distance right here.

"That's a REALLY GOOD QUESTION," the skinny boy said.

The taller boy reached up and covered one of his eyes to squint at her, then said, "She looks normal now. Watanuki, you feel anything?"

Magic-users. Great. Steph said, "I still want to know what you mean by 'dead'. And I don't think I ever met you anywhere."

"She doesn't feel like anything scary," said the skinny boy who was apparently Watanuki.

The little girl tugged on Watanuki's hand and stared at her feet, which were in white slippers under a floaty white sundress. "She _used_ to be dead," she insisted in a little voice.

Watanuki knelt down in front of her, yanking the other boy down too. For the first time Steph noticed that they were all three holding hands, with Watanuki in the middle. The taller boy rolled his eyes as Watanuki put their linked hands on the girl's shoulders, but didn't pull back. "Kohane-chan," Watanuki said to her, "it's okay. I believe you. I've never heard of a spirit coming back to life, but I suppose it could happen."

She shook her head. "No, she didn't come back to life. She's just never been dead now."

"You guys are making no sense," Steph said. She pointed at the taller boy. "You, so what's your name?"

He looked like he was sizing her up for a moment -- not like Tim or Cass figuring out how she ticked, calmer somehow -- and then said, "Domeki Shizuka. Pleased to meet you."

Watanuki snorted. "Why are you talking to HIM?" he demanded. Domeki rolled his eyes at her and she had to suppress a giggle.

"You two were being weird," she told Watanuki and Kohane. "I've never been dead. I think I'd know."

Watanuki stood up, and Domeki with him. "Are you the person Yuko-san sent us to meet?" he asked her.

"Who's Yuko?" Steph said.

"Good!" said Watanuki. "You can stay out of her clutches! She doesn't need any more customers. Besides, we don't know we're supposed to meet someone. She probably just wants more alcohol!" The girl stepped forward. "Kohane-chan, don't let go!" he scolded.

"Why _are_ you holding hands?" Steph asked.

Watanuki's face turned bright red. "I'M NOT HOLDING DOMEKI'S HAND BECAUSE I WANT TO! WHO WOULD WANT TO HOLD DOMEKI'S HAND?"

Domeki had his free arm crossed over his chest so that he could stick his finger in his ear on the side of his head closest to Watanuki. Kohane was just giggling.

"I don't mind holding Kohane-chan's hand, though!" Watanuki said. "Anyway, we have to stay together while we're following the ribbon." He pointed with the hand that was holding Kohane's.

Steph looked. "I don't see any ribbon," she said.

"Well, you're not following it, I guess," Watanuki said.

"Plus holding hands with the right person can give you more power," Kohane said, and she smiled up at Domeki.

"Not that Domeki is the right person!" Watanuki said.

She held out her hand to Steph. "Do you want to come too?"

Watanuki waved everyone's hands around. "Don't invite her! She was dead!"

"I was not!" Steph said.

"Watanuki said Yuko said we'd meet a bat spirit," Kohane said.

Steph stuck her hands behind her back and said, "I don't have anything to do with bats anymore," then kicked herself. Way to preserve that secret identity, Girl Not So Wonderful.

"You haven't changed that much," Kohane said.

"I'll handle that on my own," Steph said.

Domeki nodded at her unexpectedly. "Good choice," he said, with a rueful look at Watanuki.

"What would you know?" Watanuki said, following Kohane as she tugged them to the left. His voice was echoing oddly -- there shouldn't be any echoes from here. Steph took another step back, and the three strange kids seemed to disappear with each step they took. Tinnily, Watanuki's voice trailed out: "You're just Do...."

So much for leaving weirdness back in Gotham. Steph felt suddenly homesick.

**Author's Note:**

> Original posted to <http://dorrie6.insanejournal.com/621466.html?thread=1419930#t1419930>. Inspired by [_Actuality_ by dorrie6](http://community.livejournal.com/emotionalperil/42894.html).


End file.
